Treatment of tobacco



Oct. 15, 1940. J. c. M CORKHILL TREATMENT OF TOBACCO Filed Aug. 17, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 15, 1940. J. c. MOCORKHILL 2,217,932

TREATMENT OF TOBACCO 7 Filed Aug. 17, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet? Oct. 15, 1940. J. c. MQCORKHILL TREATMENT OF wog'Acco Filed Aug.-1'7, 1939 5 sheetsfiheet 3 Oct. 15; 1940. .1. c. McCORKHlLL mknwmsuf OF TOBACCO Filed-Aug. 17, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 lllll'lllullllllnlll I lllllllllllllllll l l l l l l l l l l l l l l H H l l H Oct. 15, 1940. v J. C. McCORKHlLL 2,217,932

" TREATMENT OF TOBACCO Filed Aug. 17, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 15, 1940 PATENT OFFICE 2,217,932 TREATMENT or TOBACCO Jesse C. McCorkhill, Jacksonville, Fla., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Guardite'Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application August 17, 1939, Serial No. 290,701

2 Claims.

This invention relates to the treatment of tobacco and particularly to a process for moistening tobacco.

One object of this invention is to provide a process of treating tobacco, wherein the tobacco is subjected to the action of carefully regulated moisture in an inclosure so as to render the tobacco pliable and moist.

Another object is to provide a process for treatl0 ing tobacco especially adapted for the manufacture of cigars, wherein the tobacco leaves, either in the form of hands or bales are treated by being placed in a partially evacuated inclosure and subjected to the action of water vapor at a suitable temperature.

Another object is to provide a process for treating tobacco comprising impregnating the tobacco with moisture in a partial vacuum.

Another object is to provide a process for treating tobacco leaves, particularly for cigar-making purposes, wherein the dry tobacco is placed in an inclosure from which the air is then partially removed, the tobacco being then subjected to treatment with steam, supersaturated with water.

The tobacco is then subjected to partially saturated live steam for a short period in an inclosure, from which most of the air has again been removed.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending applications Serial No'. 135,092, filed April 5, 1937; Serial No. 159,745, filed August 18, 1937; and Serial No. 282,237, filed June 30, 1939.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a central vertical section, partly in side elevation, of one form of apparatus of this invention, which may also be used for carrying out the process of this invention, with the end closure thereof removed.

Figure 2 is a right-hand end elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, with the end closure in position.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section along the line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a left-hand end elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of the forward end of the apparatus, showing the means for facilitating the loading thereof with tobacco.

Figure 6 is a cross section along the line 6-6 in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a side view of the measuring tank and heating arrangement associated with Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a modification of a portion of Figure 1, showing means for automatically controlling the temperature of the steam by a temperature-responsive automatic steam valve.

Figure 9 represents a modification of the method of introducing water and is a diagrammatic side elevation of the tank in which only the water distribution system is illustrated, the rest of the piping not being shown for the purposes of clarity. 10

Figure 10 is a cross-section along the line I'0I0 in Figure 9.

In general, the process of this invention consists in treating tobacco with carefully regulated moisture in a partial vacuum under a sufliciently 15 high temperature to render the tobacco pliable and moist.

Hitherto, it has been necessary to sprinkle the tobacco leaves and leave them to soak over night in order to remove the excessive dryness thereof. 20 Ordinarily, tobacco is received at the factory either in the form of bales or hands, consisting of a number of leaves bundled together and tied at the stem end only. This tobacco, when thus received, is usually in a very dry condition,,and 25 accordingly is very brittle and easily disintegrates. In order to use the tobacco for making cigars, the ordinary treatment has included sprinkling the dry bales by hand, letting them stand for many hours in order to distribute the 30 moisture properly, and, then after casing, treating the tobacco in sweat-rooms for a period of two to six weeks- These bales are large tightlypacked bodies of tobacco, weighing several hundreds of pounds. If they are unpacked in their 5 usual dry condition, there is excessive breakage. On the other hand, the insulating value of the tobacco in the bales is so high that cooling thereof or heating thereof occurs only very slowly under atmospheric pressures. 40

The present process and apparatus enable the tobacco to be treated immediately to supply the proper amount of moisture so as to render it pliable and at the same time to treat it by means of heat and moisture in such a manner as to re- 45 move certain undesirable oils and gums, and thereby to eliminate this long period previously thought necessary for sweating the tobacco leaves in sweat-rooms.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figure 1 5 shows a preferred embodiment of apparatus for carrying out the purpose of this invention, and also adapted to be used in subjecting the tobacco to the process of the present invention. This apparatus consists of an air-tight tank l0 having 55 a rear end wall ll, permanently secured thereto as by welding, so as to form an air-tight Joint at the junction |2.- The forward end of this tank II is provided with a strengthening band I! and a gasket [4, surrounded by a ring-shaped angle member l5. Arranged to enga e the and II is an end closure member l8 (Figure 2) having securing clamps ll arranged at intervals around its periphery. The clamps ll have incorporated therewith screw members l8, whereby the clamps ll may cause the and closure to engage the end of the tank II in the air-tight joint. v

- A handle I! is also mounted upon the end closure it, the latter being supported by rods 28 anchored to brackets II, as by the nuts 22, the brackets 2| being secured as by welding to the end closure It. At their upper ends the rods 18 a are secured to a cross bar 28 by nuts 24, the cross bar itself being, in turn, attached'as at 25 to a U-shaped supporting member 2|, with a bolt 21 passing therethrough. Arranged to hold the supporting member 28 is a swinging arm 18 having a vertical shaft 28 and a supporting brace 3|. The shaft 28 of the swinging arm 28 is mounted in a support 8|, which is capable of being secured to an upright member, such as a post or pilaster (not shown), as by bolts or screws passing through the holes 82. The swinging arm 28 and the member 2' thus are adapted to sustain the weight of the end closure l8 and to enable it to be swung to one side when it is desired to make the tank accessible for loading, unloading or inspection. Arranged immediately beneath the end closure I is a drip pan 88.

The bottom of the tank I. is provided with a runway 84 (Figure 3) which terminates at its forward end in an angled supporting member 35 (Figure 1). This supporting member 3! serves as a rest for a swinging bridge member", hinged as at 31 to an inclined approach member 88. The members 86 and 8! are strengthened by the members 38 and 48, secured to the under-sides thereof. Immediately beneath the hinge connection 31 is arranged a supporting member 4!, resting upon the floor. The bridge member 38, during the loading or unloading of the tank, occupies the position shown in Figures 1 and 5, with its forward end resting upon the ledge of the member 35. The endclosure it in the meantime has been swung to one side, as shown in Figure 5. The tank II, on its inner walls, is provided with a pair of longitudinally disposed troughs 42, secured to the walls in a water-tight manner, as by welding. These troughs 42 are arranged to receive water which may condense on the inner walls of the tank II, and also to receive water which is deliberately supplied thereto by means of the pipe 48 (Figures 1 and 3) having a valve 44. 7

Beyond the valve 44 the pipe 48 is connected to a water supply line 48 by means of the T-connection 46. The water supply line 48 is provided with a pair of valves 41 and 48, and a T-connection 49. From the T-connection 48 the pipe 50 runs to a mixing connection 5|, where it joins the steam pipe 52. The steam pipe 82 is supplied at intervals withthe valves 53 and 84. From the mixing connection 5| a pipe 65 runs to a T-connection 56, the T-connection 58 leading, by means of a short pipe 81, to a port in the walls of the tank Ill. Beyond the T-connection I the pipe 55 may be placed in communication with the atmosphere by opening the valve 58. -On opposite sides of the mixing connection ii the portions l8 pipes l2 and Il are supplied with T-connectlons l8 and 48, respectively, for the connection of a by-pass line 0|, having a by-pass valve II therein.

At the T-connection 88 the steam pipe 82 is connected to the steam supply pipe 14, the latter connected to a suitable boiler or other source of high pressure steam. In Figure 1 the continuation of the pipe I! to the left of the 'r-connection i! is shown in side elevation, together with the valve SI, the T-connection 68 and the pipe 64, because this showing renders the disclosure of the piping clearer than if the piping were omitted, due to the breaking awayof the tank at this point. The true relationship is clearl seen from Figure 4. Beyond the valve 53 the pipe 52 passes downward and is connected at the T-connections 85 (Figure 4) to the cross pipe 86 leading to the steam heating pipes 61 connected to the opposite ends thereof.

The steam pipes 81 pass through the end wall ll of the tank l8 and lie within the troughs 42. At the rearward ends of the troughs 42 (Figure 3) the steam heating pipes 81 emerge from the troughs and pass downwardly, beneath the runway 34, near the bottom of the tank Ill. The steam heating pipes 61 continue along the floor of the tank, beneath the runway 34, and terminate in the connection 68, from which the return pipe 68 leads through the end wall II to the steam trap Ill, from which the condensate line H conveys condensed water back to the boiler. The bottom of the tank is also provided with an outlet port I! having a drain pipe 13 connected thereto, the latter including a drain valve 14. By opening the drain valve 14 any surplus water accumulated in the bottom of the tank may be drained away. Similarly, the troughs 42 are provided with an interconnectin drain pipe (Figure 3), having a downwardly extending drain line I6 connected thereto at the T-connection 11, and containing the drain valve 18. By opening the drain valve 18 the troughs 42 may be drained of any water, this draining being advisable at the beginning of the. process after the process has been previously carried out.

For the purpose of supplying refrigerating fluid the refrigerating coils 18 are provided. These coils l9 consist of pipes running to and fro lengthwise of the tank l8 and connected at their outer extremities 88 and 8!, respectively, with the refrigeration cross lines 82 and 83, connected as at 84 and 85 with the refrigeration inletv and outlet lines 86 and. 81, respectively (Figure 4). A refrigeration valve 88 serves to regulate the admission of refrigeration fluid to the refrigerating-coils 19. Running lengthwise of the tank ill, immediately beneath the uppermost portion thereof, is a fluid line 89 provided at intervals with nozzles 98 and having a valve 8| immediately beyond the point where the line 89 emerges from the tank Hi. This line 88 and its nozzles 90 serve for the distribution of casing fluid or other fluids.

Connected to a port in the wall of the tank It is the vacuum pipe line 92, containing a valve 93. The vacuum pipe line 92 is connected to an evacuating apparatus, such as an air exhausting pump for the purpose of removing the air from the tank after the end closure It has been clamped thereto. The moisture admitted through the short pipe 51 from the connection 56 is prevented from impinging directly upon the tobacco by means of the bailie plate 94, secured to V the inner wall of the tank ID. A thermometer 85 and a Pressure gauge connection 96 are also -found satisfactory in most instances except for supplied (Figure 6)- for indicating the temperature and pressure existing within the tank II.

"In the operation of the apparatus, the tobacco, if in the form of. bales, is placed upon a supporting rack structure 91 having shelves '4 for receiving the bales 8!. The rack 81 rests upon a portable platform Ill (Figure 1), and

the whole assembly may be transported by means of a portable lift truck of any conventional type. In one suitable type the lift truckis inserted beneath the portable platform Ill and then raised so that it lifts the platform of! the floor. and enables the entire assembly to be moved by means ofthe truck. If the tobacco is in the form of leaves or hands these are placed in boxes or crates, the crates being open or latticed to permit the free passage of the moisture and other treating materials. These crates are then merely placed on top of one another, preferably two to each platform ill, the framework or rack 91 being dispensed with.

Thus the loaded platforms I44 are placed on the trucks and the latter rolled up the incline 38 and bridge member 3 6 into the interior of the tank It. The platform III is then lowered so as to rest upon the runway 34, whereupon the truck is removed and 'taken to the loading station for another load. In this manner the tank may be loaded with tobacco, beginning with the inner end of the tank and ending at the outer end with the final load. After the truck has been removed from beneath the flnal load, the bridge member 36 is swung upwardly about its hinge connection 31 until it occupies the dotted positionshown at' 36a in Figure 5. When this has been done, the end closure It is swung onits supporting arm 28 and shaft 2! and urged by the clamps l1. 18 into an air-tight position eneasing the front gasket l4 of the tank.

In the modification shown in Figure 9, water is supplied to the tank through a manifold I43, ex ending longitudinally of the tank. This manitold is provided with a series of spaced distribution pipes 143a, the ends of which areprovided with suitable nozzles. These nozzles have not been fllustrated in detail because their construction is unimportant. In fact, best results have been obtained by the use of small openings of say to M; inch in the ends of the pipes. These openings may be directed in such a manner as to tend to lead the water into the trough 42 which may be done either by pointing the openings I44 in the direction of the trough or by directing the openings toward the wall of the tank adjacent the openings. It is preferred, however, generally to direct the opening toward the tobacco itself.

Air is withdrawn from the tank It by the vacuum pump 91, through the pipe 92 having the relief valve 98, and discharged through the pipe 99 until an absolute pressureof less ,than one-half inch of mercury is reached. Steam between 40 and pounds pressure from the pipe 64 is then supplied with water in an amount more than required to saturate the steam just before being admitted to the tank I I. The temperature, period of treatment and degree of super-saturation are varied according to the'kind and quantity of tobacco under treatment, so as to soften the tobacco.

With certain kinds of tobacco it is undesirable to go above a temperature of F., whereas with others-itis undesirable to go above F. In general, the treatment will bring the temperature of the tobacco within the range of 120 to 160 degrees. A temperature of 140 has been the pipe I05 and valve I".

the extremely heat-sensitive tobaccos. The pressure within the tank under these conditions will be in the neighborhood of 3 A to 10 inches of mercury absolute, and at 140 will be about six inches absolute.

In general, however, temperatures of to have no deleterious effects upon tobacco.

The tank is maintained at this temperature between fifteen and forty-live minutes by an automatic steam control valve 530 under the control of a thermally-responsive device 53d (Figure 8), and having a by-pass line 53a with a valve 531;. Meanwhile, hot water is supplied to the; troughs 42 through the pipes, 43 and 45 from a steam-heated water heater 1" (Figure 7), which, in turn, receives water through the pipe Ill and valve I02 from the measuring tank I. I

The latter is heated by a steam coil I04, which receives steam from the steam line 64 by way of The valve I02 has a graduated dial to permit reproduction of. a given setting representing a given rate of flow. The water heater 100 receives steam by way of the pipe I01 and valve I08, and discharges into the pipe I09 leading to the steam trap II. The tank I receives water through the pipes Ill and H2, and compressed air through the pipes H3 and H4 containing the valve 5 and pressure gauge 6a. A valve H6 permits discharge of the air through the pipe H1 while refilling the tank I03. The tank'lllt is equipped with gauge glasses so that the amount of water supplied to a the heater and thence to the troughs 42 may be accurately predetermined. When the water is allowed to pass from the measuring tank to the water heater at a very slow rate, the heater will completely vaporize the water, especially at the subatmospheric pressure existing within the tank it. In this manner the hot water may be supplied through the pipe 43 in the form of low pressure, low temperature steam. High pressure steam may also be admitted in limited quantities through the short pipe 51, this being prevented from striking the ,tobacco directly by means of the bailie plate 94 (Figure 6). The high pressure steam is supersaturated with water supplied at the mixing connection 5| from the pipe 50, which is connected to the water line 45 at the T-connection 49. Where it is desired to supply steam directly to the interior of the chamber, without supplying it to the heating coils 66, the valves 53 and 54 may be closed and the valve 62 opened, to permit the steamto flow through the by-pass line 6| to the connection 56 and pipe 5 1, directly into the interior of the tank Ill.

Steam passed from a boiler into a tank at a sub-atmospheric pressure or partial vacuum will or to supply both heat and moisture through the short pipe 51. The by-pass line 8| provides a more rapid means for admitting steam to the interior of the tank, where the particular process does not require water to be added at the mixing connection ll.

When the troughs 42 are filled with water, in v the manner stated, this water is vaporized by means of the steam coils 81 passing through the troughs. This water in the troughs, if not accumulated in-a suilicient amount of condensation on the walls of the tank. may be added by meansof the pipe 43. Water condensed on the walls of the tank below the troughs 42 flows to the bottom of the tank, beneath the runway 34- or fioor, where it issubjected to the heat 01' the steam coils 61 as they continue along'the floor of the tank. This water is thus re-vaporized by the portion of the steam coils lying on the bottom of the tank.

After the treatment has been carried out for a sufllcient length of time the steam and water are shut off and the valve 58 may be opened to admit air to the interior of the tank. After this is done the end closure I6 is removed and the tobacco withdrawn from the tank. When this tobacco is removed it is completely impregnated with moisture and is in a soft and pliable condition. g

The tobacco may then be allowed to stand from eight to twenty-four hours, after which it is again placed in the tank i and subjected to an additional steaming treatment after again producing a vacuum having an absolute pressure between 1 and 2 inches of mercury. The tobacco may, however, be discharged or cased after the re-evacuation has cooled it, without further heating. The heat-treatment herein described may, however, be performed upon the tobacco while it is still in the container and without breaking the vacuum or permitting the tobacco to stand. The standing is simply for the purpose of uniformly distributing the moisture through the tobacco and may be accomplished by repeating the steps of the process. The standing does not greatly affect the temperature of the tobacco on the inside of the bale, which remains substantially at the point to which it was originally heated. Only the outside of the bale cools somewhat during the standing.

The tobacco, either with or without standing, issubjected to the subsequent evacuation just described, which reduces the temperature of the tobacco by boiling some of the excess moisture which has been added during the previous step. To the extent that the tobacco is cooled during standing, if it has been allowed to stand, there is a saving of moisture because some of the cooling has been carried out by contact with cool air or radiation, rather than by evaporation of moisture. To this extent the standing period results in a benefit over immediate evacuation. Where time is important, however, this advantage may sometimes be disregarded.

The tobacco, after cooling by re-evacuation, is subjected to a second steaming operation, which is performed with partly saturated live steam for a period of thirty to fifty-two minutes, according to the particular type of tobacco under treatment. The valve 58 is then again opened to admit air and destroy the vacuum, after which the end closure i8 is again removed and the tobacco withdrawn from the tank. The tobacco is then shaken out and is ready for stripping. This process thus eliminates the expensive sprinkling of dry bales by hand, and the long periods of allowing them to soak in order to distribute the moisture throughout the leaves. The process 01' this invention also eliminates the necessity of placing the tobacco in sweat-rooms for a period of two to six weeks after casing.

\ When employing the modifications shown in Figures 9 and 10, hot water, for example at tem-- peratures of 200 F., and upwards, is supplied to the manifold I and is sprayed into the tank through the arms 3a and the openings I.

As an example of the process, tobacco, in a tank having a temperature of 85 F., was subjected to a vacuum of 29.3 inches, after which five gallons of water at a temperature of approximately 200 F. was sprayed into. the tank over a period of one-half hour, this operation raising the temperature to 95 F., and decreasing the vacuum to 28.75 inches. Another five gallons of water wasthen added over a period of thirty minutes, raising the temperature to 105 F., and decreasing the vacuum to 28 inches. perature was then maintained for a period of one-half hour, during which slight amounts of water were added and then the vacuum broken.

In another example of the process, tobacco, in a tank having a temperature of 90 F., was subjected to a vacuum of 29.6 inches and was then steamed with saturated steam to 125 F. This reduced the vacuum to 27.25 inches, and ten gallons of hot water were then added overa period of one-half hour, which raised the temperature to 130 F. The tobacco treated was eight cases of binder tobacco.

In another instance, tobacco, in a tank having a temperature of 80 F., was subjected to a vacuum of 29.6 inches and was then steamed with saturated steam to 150 F., after which ten gallons of hot water were added, raising the temperature to 180 F. In this case the tobacco treated was twelve bales of Manila filler.

In another instance, ten cases 01 binder tobacco were evacuated to an absolute pressure of 0.48 inch at 80 F. and then ten gallons of water added, raising the absolute pressure to 4.28 inches and the temperature to 145 F.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A process for treating tobacco comprising subjecting the tobacco to a high vacuum, supplying to the evacuated tobacco a. large amount of steam, condensing the steam upon the tobacco to raise its temperature and increase the pressure thereon, the steam being passed into but not through the tobacco, and then maintaining the tobacco in contact with the steam at substantially constant absolute pressure for a substantial time interval, while continuing to pass steam into but not through the tobacco.

2. A process for treating tobacco comprising subjecting the tobacco to a high vacuum, supplying to the evacuated tobacco a large amount of steam, condensing the steam upon the tobacco to raise its temperature and increase the pressure thereon, the steam being passed into but not through the tobacco, and then as a final step maintaining the tobacco in contact with the steam at substantially constant absolute pressure for a substantial time interval, while continuing to pass steam into but not through the tobacco.

JESSE C. McCORKHILL.

This tem- 

